The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-06-17
A DOMESTIC PROBLEM.
Che Romantic Manner in Which it
Was Solved.

"a woman's education is mistake
from beginning TO end" said Roxy
Stephens. in sudden outburst of de-
spair. 'Yes, it is. Here have been
going to school all my life, and don't
know any thing. There never could
have been," Roxy deliberately added,
.'even in the Dark Ages. such an ig-
noramus rs am. don't even know
how to feed the chickens properly"
as a downy colony of little ''Donini-
ques" scattered this way and that be-
fore the mass of scalded meal which
Roxy had flung too abruptly into their
midst, while the mother hen. sounding
a trumpet note of shrill alarm, scuttled
back against the picket-fence. with
Tapping wings and feathers all a-bris-
tie.
Up to certain degree there was
truth in Roxy's lamentation. She had
been seventeen years old when she
came to live with her aunt Sally
Stephens on the Redbrook Farm. She
was bright-haired. fresh-complex-
toned girl with shady blue eyes. en-
phasized by perfectly arched brows a
Thought heavier than falls to the usual
lot of womankind. They had al
ways been a secret grievance to her.
these black, leech-like curves; but had
she only known it, the dark, strongly
penciled brows were what gave chsrac-
ter to her whole face, and redeemed it
from the insipidity of mere pink and
white prettiness. In certain fashion
her mind correspondent to her eye
brows. There was quaint vein of
originality pervading it. Her nature
was strongly outlined, too. and in the
fullness of youth and vitality she had
once believed that she was born to
conquer fate.
Roxanna Stephens was a city-bred
girl. the daughter Of Miss Sally's old
est brother. who had died unexpected
ly. leaving motherless girl totally un-
provided for. Thus do people give
mortgages to fate, and dying, leave
Others to foreclose on them. There is
undoubtedly certain degree of injus-
ticc in it; but who shall venture to carp
against the Lords will? Miss Sally
herself, complaining little womln.
with face full of fine wrinkles. like
China Grape. and blue eyes hidden be-
hind misty spectacles, accepted the
trust. as she had accepted all the other
inconveniencies of her life, simply and
without protest. She had never had
any strong emotions one way or the
other. If she had any active pleasure.
it was i'm gathering the humble herbs
and simples of her native fields and
drying them in preparation for the
aches and pains that beset her pool
humanity. "It's always well to be
prepared" said she. Il don't hold
with the homepathies, nor yet l hahn,
10 faith in calomel and mercury
There amt nothin' like roots ant
herbs. and every neighbor within ter
miles around comes to me for 'en
when they've sickness in the house."
And to this little old brown woman
in little old brown FARMHOUSE came
Roxanna. the young princess who had
&.t forth to conquer the world.
"rm desput glad you've come. Rox.
:nner." said Miss Stephens, shifting a
bunch of wilted pennyroyal. sd
amt able to keep on doin as heS
been dom. Somehow it's borne in
upon me that Providence has sent you
I've worked powerful hard all my life
and now I'll jest rest spell. and lc
you keep house for me. haint NJ
doubt at all but what We'll get along
together irst-rate, you and me.
Roxy looked with solemn GEES al
her aunt. Evidently the old lady hat
faith as grain of mustari-seed. ant
there was something contagious in he
example.
ut must be very easy to keel
house." said Roxy, fresh from the
classroom and recitation-hall. So thu
uOuSeuOiu lciul was uclteTcu IuUO HUI
hands. and then-not till then-sht
realizeaThe fact OF her exceeding ignO
rance.
Not for worlds, however. would she
have confessed her inability to rule tho
domestic men0ge. Aunt Sally had 1
profound contempt for "book-larnin'
and did not hesitate to assert roundl,
that ''ef brother Simon had took hcl
advice he woaid hev brung up Roxan
ner in quite different way" and thu
girl had certain silent pride in vindi
eating her fathers judgment So. BY
the help OF dog scared cookery booi
which she found in the garnet. sh,
learned some of the simpler secrets o.
the cxisi,se, and her own neat nature
taught her the mysteries Of sweeping
and scrubbing; while old Kinda. je'
black negress, with grizzled wool ant
q soft appealing voice like flute. wht
pervaded the neighborhood, came twic,
in the month to wash and iron for tn,
little household.
.'Jes what ole Hinda's good for,
said she; dat, an muffin else. Miss